This invention relates generally to bicycle-type stationary exercise apparatus which involves the use of rotatable crank arms with pedals, such as used on bicycles, operably connected to a bicycle drive system subject to a variable load. Such apparatus has been known and used for many years in gymnasiums, health clubs and homes.
This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 933,470 filed Aug. 14, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,705, for Exercising Apparatus, the benefit of the filing date of which is claimed herein.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide new and improved bicycle type exercise apparatus which is capable of simulating the characteristics of exercise during the actual riding of a bicycle. Such characteristics of exercise during actual riding of a bicycle include, among other things, variations in wind resistance dependent upon the speed of the bicycle and riding conditions; variations in force of momentum dependent upon the speed of the bicycle and the weight of the rider; and variations in load dependent upon topography, i.e. uphill, downhill and level riding conditions. At the present time cycling has become a very popular sport for both recreational riders and for large numbers of racing and cross-country bicycling enthusiasts. Indeed, the health benefits of both actual bicycle riding and the use of stationary bicycle-type exercise apparatus have been long recognized by health authorities and the general public.
Some of the drawbacks of prior stationary bicycle-type exercise apparatus have included lack of similarity to actual bicycle riding conditions as well as relatively high cost of manufacture and bulkiness of the apparatus.
The apparatus of the present invention enables substantial duplication of actual bicycle riding conditions whereby the same body muscles are used in substantially the same way as doing actual bicycle riding. The duplication of actual bicycle riding conditions is of substantial benefit to all bicycle riders but is of particular importance to those bicycle riders who desire to train for particular bicycle riding situations such as for various kinds of bicycle racing and cross-country events. In addition, an important use of the present invention is as a rehabilitation exerciser device for physically handicapped persons. In this connection, the present invention enables smooth continuous uniform rotation and loading through each 360.degree. crank shaft rotational cycle without the usual loss of momentum and velocity in the vertical crank arm positions of conventional bicycle type exercising apparatus.
The present invention enables the use of both (1) a self-contained type exercise apparatus including permanently mounted bicycle-type parts; and (2) a bicycle mounting type exercise apparatus which is adapted to employ portions of an actual bicycle thereby reducing cost and enabling use of bicycles already owned and actually used by the exerciser for bicycle riding. In the second form of the invention, the construction and arrangement of the exercise apparatus is such as to enable mounting of a conventional bicycle on the exercise apparatus by the simple expedient of removing the front wheel of the bicycle.
Both types of exercise apparatus are particularly adapted to use with variably selectable multiple speed bicycle type drive systems, such as presently commercially available three speed, five speed or ten speed drive systems or, more preferably, a drive system of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,550 issued Jan. 9, 1979, for Bicycle And Power Transmission System, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Each type of exercise apparatus comprises a relatively small size and weight fly wheel means driven at relatively high velocities by the drive system for energy storage to simulate inertial and momentum forces during actual riding of a bicycle; an automatically variable resistance load applying means driven by the drive system for automatically applying continuously variable resistance loads directly proportional to drive system velocity t simulate variations in resistance loads encountered during actual riding of a bicycle at varying velocities; and selectively changeable fixed resistance load applying means for selectively applying variable fixed resistance loads to the drive system to simulate fixed resistance loads variously encountered under actual bicycle riding conditions. Each type of exercise apparatus further comprises controls and instrumentation for selective simulation of particular actual bicycle riding conditions and display for the exerciser of various exercise conditions.
The bicycle mounting type exercise apparatus comprises a stationary frame means in the form of an elongated tubular bottom member having laterally extending stabilizer members mounted thereon. An upwardly extending mounting post is provided at the front end of the bottom member to receive and support the front wheel fork of a bicycle. An upwardly extending central support means is provided on the bottom member to receive and support the crank shaft hub portion of the bicycle. A rotatably driven friction wheel member is centrally mounted on a shaft member supported by mounting bracket members on a rear portion of the bottom member or by the central support means for frictional driven engagement with the rear wheel of the bicycle to apply load thereto simulating actual bicycle riding conditions. A flywheel device is mounted on one end of the shaft member or on another shaft member in centrally located housing means to simulate momentum forces and a continuously variable air resistance device is mounted on the other end of the shaft member or in the centrally located housing means to simulate air resistance forces. A variable fixed load applying device is associated with the driven friction wheel member to simulate variable gravity and ground resistance force encountered during actual bicycle riding. Suitable instrumentation and display means are provided to accurately display various exercise conditions.